Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015 -- Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, last night I joined Members of both parties to recognize the latest bipartisan achievement for the American people.

The Clay Hunt SAV Act, which will provide important support to our Nation's veterans, passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. It is on its way to President Obama's desk, and I am confident he will sign it.

KEYSTONE BILL

Mr. President, today the House of Representatives is expected to pass yet another bipartisan bill for him to sign, the Keystone jobs bill. It is just common sense. That is why this bipartisan legislation already passed the Senate with support from both parties. That is why labor unions support it, and that is why the American people support it. Americans know construction of this infrastructure project would pump billions into the economy and support thousands of good jobs. They also know America could achieve this with, as the President's own State Department has indicated, minimal environmental impact.

Americans are urging President Obama not to interfere in the review process for political reasons any longer. Americans are urging the President to finally heed scientific conclusions his own State Department already reached. Let American workers build this infrastructure project. Sign this jobs and infrastructure bill.

Powerful special interests may be demanding that the President veto Keystone jobs, but we hope he will not. If the President does ultimately bow to these special interest demands, that is a discussion we can have then. But either way Americans should know this: The new Congress will not stop pursuing good ideas.

This new majority is committed to refocusing Washington on the concerns of the middle class, and the passage of bipartisan bills such as Keystone, Clay Hunt, and Keystone jobs shows we are doing just that.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING

Mr. President, on a different matter, Democrats are blocking Homeland Security funding in order to defend Executive overreach the President has said himself, on many different occasions, he didn't have. As I indicated yesterday, this is the reason the Senate can't move forward, so it needs to come to an end. This is the simplest and most obvious way it can.

Many Democrats previously indicated opposition to the kinds of overreach described by President Obama himself as unwise and unfair. So all they have to do is back up those words with some action. If Democrats claim to be against overreach and claim to be for funding the critical activities of the Department of Homeland Security, then there is no reason for them to continue their party's filibuster.

So vote with us to allow the Senate to actually debate Homeland Security funding instead. We have already offered a fair and open debate that would allow for amendments from both parties. If the bill needs to be amended, that is when it could be, when we actually get on the bill and offer amendments.

This is about Democrats being confronted with a choice: filibuster funding for Homeland Security to protect overreach of President Obama himself, referred to as ``ignoring the law'' or allow the Senate to debate, vote, and amend the very funding they claim to want.

AUMF FUNDING

Mr. President, one final and critically important matter. This morning we received the President's proposed authorization for the use of military force against ISIL and its affiliates. It was clear from the outset that a successful military campaign to defeat ISIL would require a multiyear effort, so it is certainly in order for Congress to debate an authorization such as this.

Because Congress must meet its responsibility to decide whether our military should use force, the Senate will review the President's request thoughtfully. Individual Senators and committees of jurisdiction will review it carefully, and they will listen carefully to the advice of military commanders as they consider the best strategy for defeating ISIL. Because this decision demands such serious consideration, I want our Members to have an early opportunity to discuss the President's request. That is why later today our conference, the Republican conference, will meet for a discussion led by Senators Corker and McCain.

I yield the floor.

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